Hello and welcome to a new edition of Hit or Miss. Sorry that it has been some time since I wrote my last article, but I hope the wait was worth it. Today we have a good mix of games that do things very well and some that fail to deliver. I hope you enjoy these quick reviews and look forward to reading your comments. Thank you for your support throughout the year and I hope to continue to bring you content you enjoy.

Captain Carcass (Dead Man's Draw)Published by: Mayday Games

If you have played the app Dead Man's Draw, then you know the addiction of the game. Captain Carcass is a new version of Dead Man's Draw with some new player powers. This is a push you luck card game that will frustrate and surprise you at different times during the game. On your turn you will be drawing cards with a number and symbol. You will perform the action of the symbol when they are drawn. The catch is that if you end up drawing two of the same symbol, you discard all the cards you drew. In the end, you want to be the person with the most points at the end of the game. I find this game to be very addicting and will be highly enjoyed by those who enjoy card games like Uno, Phase 10, and many other card games from standard decks of cards. For the quality and size of the game, you get plenty of fun for your money.

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Xenoshyft DreadmirePublished by: CMON Games

Xenoshyft Dreadmire is the latest standalone expansion for the Xenoshyft series. In the Xenoshyft series, you and the other players are defending your base against random enemies that will invade in waves. You will play troop cards in a line and equip them with armor and weapons to help fend off the wave of the attack. As you progress through the waves, you will buy new gear and new troops to defend against harder enemies. Xenoshyft Dreadmire adds all new troops and gear to fight new enemies. The big new element is different weather conditions that affect the enemies, your gear and your troops. Each element will affect the battlefield in a different way and there may even be more than one element happening at the same time. Dreadmire also improves on some of the randomness issues that took place in the first game. Boss enemies will not appear in waves 1,3,6. This allows the game to progress naturally and does not cause that huge boss to hurt you when you have no chance. If you are fan of the first one or have been curious about the series, I would recommend Xenoshyft Dreadmire. Dreadmire takes deck-building and tower defense to a level of extreme fun and challenge.

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ProhisPublished by: Blue Orange Games

Prohis is a bluffing card game that takes place in the prohibition era. Each player is playing a Booze Baron trying to get your booze into the warehouse. During a turn a player will make a convoy of face down cards that will signify trucks trying to bring contraband into the warehouse. The other players will then decide to play officers to inspect one of the trucks. If they discover the contraband they get the loot. If they discover a card that is not contraband you get to move along and take their officer card. The goal is to have the most points in your warehouse at the end of the game. I found Prohis to be a smaller and more random Sheriff of Nottingham. Officer cards were too few and found that waiting out certain cards being played then delivering a big cargo when you are pretty sure the officers have already been played. Prohis will be enjoyable to those really enjoy bluffing games, but for me it missed the mark compared to similar style games.

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CelestiaPublished by: Quick Simple Fun Games

Celestia is a remake of a game called Cloud 9. In Celestia you and the other players will be pushing your luck while traveling aboard an airship. Each island has a set of cards worth victory points that progressively get higher as you venture further out to different islands. Before traveling to the next island, the captain will roll dice based on what the next island tells you to roll and the dice will show blank or some symbol. Players must then guess if the captain has a card to discard with those symbols on them. If they do not think so, they can abandon ship and collect a treasure from that island. Otherwise they will stay on the ship and progress to the next island if the captain can discard the right cards or crash horrifically if the captain does not have the cards. Each player will get a chance to play the captain, and the player with the most points at the end wins the game. The art and components are beyond what you would expect for this type of game. Celestia plays quick and provides a good time to all who play. I tend to really enjoy push your luck games and Celestia does a good job of providing that entertainment.

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Evolution: The BeginingPublished by: North Star Games

Evolution: The Beginning is an family entry level game into the Evolution series. During a player's turn, they will create a new creature and play cards from their hand to evolve and expand the creatures they control. They must then be able to feed their animals by the grass food in the pond or by having the carnivore trait and eating other player's creatures. You will also want to play traits that protect your creature from other predators. At the end of the game players will count up all food tokens they have and all cards that are in their play area. The player with the highest total wins. Evolution: The Beginnings was very fun to play and did not take a long time. Everyone learned the game by the first turn and had different ways to try and win. Some may not enjoy the ability to have your creatures eaten, but hey that's life for you. I recommend picking this up if you have a family that is starting to get into gaming and want something different and unique.

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The Oregon Trail: Card GamePublished by: Pressman Games

I loved The Oregon Trail computer game when I was playing it in elementary school. Oregon Trail was one of those early class games that came on huge floppy discs that make us feel old when new generations bring it up. The goal in Oregon Trail the card game is similar to the computer game. You and your party are trying to brave the frontier and travel the west. On your way you will have things go your way and not your way in a very, very bad way. Snake bites, dysentery, and fording rivers await your journey. In Oregon Trail the card game, you rely on the luck of the cards and dice rolls to get you to the Oregon territories. This version is multiplayer compared to the solo play of the computer game. While it is fun to go on the journey with more people, when they die, they are bored for the rest of the game. Randomness and luck hurt what gameplay there is in the card game. This is a game to get only for nostalgia, but will not satisfy anything else.

Died of Dysentery

Mystic Vale: Vale of Magic ExpansionPublished by: AEG

Mystic Vale came out a few months ago delivering a new experience with the card crafting system. Now with Vale of Magic, AEG expands Mystic Vale by introducing when purchased effects and more uses for those guardian symbols. Vale of Magic adds just enough to keep the game fresh, but also very familiar. If you really enjoyed Mystic Vale, this will add more to what you already like. If you were not a fan of Mystic Vale, I do not think this will push you into liking the system. I love the familiar feel of the card crafting system to others like deck-building, and still sees regular play. The expansion adds that new freshness I was hoping for, but would like to see attacking of other players in future expansions. The art continues it's gorgeous landscapes and creatures, while not detracting from the gameplay. If you are a fan of the series, then I would recommend picking this up.

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KenjinPublished by: Iello Games

Kenjin is a card game with elements of bluffing and area control. Players will be playing 2 cards during their turn onto different battlefields. The goal is to have the highest strength in that battlefield at the end of the game and score the most points. You will be playing cards either face up or face down as directed and most cards have some type of effect that takes place when they are revealed or at the end of the game. You must out think your opponents and choose wisely where to put your cards so that you have battlefield superiority. I like the decision making that takes place during the game and trying to think 2 or 3 turns ahead and guess your opponents cards. Iello Games as usual brings outstanding art that makes the game standout. This is a game I enjoy playing, but wouldn't necessarily pick it myself. I still enjoy it enough that I wouldn't decline playing.